MLV(i)
1 And Abraham was old, well stricken in age. And Jehovah had blessed Abraham in all things.
2 And Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, I beseech you, put your hand under my thigh.
3 And I will make you swear by Jehovah, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell.
4 But you will go to my country and to my kindred and take a wife for my son Isaac.
5 And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I bring your son again to the land from where you came? 6 And Abraham said to him, You beware that you not bring my son there again. 7 Jehovah, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my nativity and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, To your seed I will give this land. He will send his messenger before you and you will take a wife for my son from there.
8 And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be clear from this my oath. Only you will not bring my son there again. 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master and departed, having all good things of his master's in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels to kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said, O Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, I beseech you, cause her to meet before me this day and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the fountain of water. And the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 And let it happen, that the maiden to whom I will say, I beseech you, let down your pitcher, that I may drink.
And she will say, Drink and I will also give your camels drink. Let it be her, the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. And I will know that you have shown kindness to my master by this.
15 And it happened, before he was done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, no man had known her. And she went down to the fountain and filled her pitcher and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, I beseech you, give me a little water to drink from your pitcher. 18 And she said, Drink, my lord. And she hurried and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking. 20 And she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough and ran again to the well to draw and drew for all his camels.
21 And the man looked steadfastly on her, keeping silent, to know whether Jehovah had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And it happened, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, 23 and said, Whose daughter are you? Tell me, I beseech you. Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?
24 And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. 25 Moreover, she said to him, We both have enough straw and fodder and room to lodge in.
26 And the man bowed his head and worshiped Jehovah. 27 And he said, Praise Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master, I being in the way, Jehovah has led me to the house of my master's brothers.
28 And the girl ran and told her mother's house according to these words. 29 And Rebekah had a brother and his name was Laban. And Laban ran out to the man, to the fountain. 30 And it happened, when he saw the ring and the bracelets upon his sister's hands and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me, that he came to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the fountain. 31 And he said, Come in, you blessed of Jehovah. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and room for the camels.
32 And the man came into the house and he ungirded the camels. And he gave straw and fodder for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 And there was food set before him to eat. But he said, I will not eat until I have told of my errand. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant. 35 And Jehovah has blessed my master greatly and he has become great. And he has given him flocks and herds and silver and gold and men-servants and maid-servants and camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old. And to him he has he given all that he has.
37 And my master made me swear, saying, You will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38 but you will go to my father's house and to my kindred and take a wife for my son.
39 And I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me.
40 And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I walk, will send his messenger with you and prosper your way. And you will take a wife for my son of my kindred and of my father's house. 41 Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my kindred. And if they do not give her to you, you will be clear from my oath.
42 And I came this day to the fountain and said, O Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, I pray, if you will, prosper the way on which I am now going, 43 behold, I am standing by the fountain of water and let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, I beseech you, give me a little water from your pitcher to drink, 44 and she will say to me, Both drink you and I will also draw for your camels, let her be the woman whom Jehovah has appointed for my master's son.
45 And before I was done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. And she went down to the fountain and drew. And I said to her, Let me drink, I beseech you. 46 And she made haste and let down her pitcher from her shoulder and said, Drink and I will also give your camels drink. So I drank and she also made the camels drink.
47 And I asked her and said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him. And I put the ring upon her nose and the bracelets upon her hands. 48 And I bowed my head and worshiped Jehovah and blessed Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. 49 And now if you* will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from Jehovah; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go and let her be your master's son's wife, as Jehovah has spoken.
52 And it happened, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Jehovah. 53 And the servant brought out jewels of silver and jewels of gold and garments and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him and stayed all night. And they rose up in the morning and he said, Send me away to my master.
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us a few days, for at the least ten. After that she will go.
56 And he said to them, Do not hinder me, since Jehovah has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master. 57 And they said, We will call the maiden and inquire at her mouth. 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, Will you go with this man?
And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent Rebekah their sister away and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, Our sister, you will be the mother of thousands of ten thousands and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them. 61 And Rebekah arose and her maidens and they rode upon the camels and followed the man. And the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62 And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi, and he dwelt in the land of the South. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and when she saw Isaac, she fell from the camel. 65 And she said to the servant, What man is this who walks in the field to meet us? And the servant said, It is my master. And she took her veil and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
5 And the servant said to him, Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I bring your son again to the land from where you came? 6 And Abraham said to him, You beware that you not bring my son there again. 7 Jehovah, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my nativity and who spoke to me and who swore to me, saying, To your seed I will give this land. He will send his messenger before you and you will take a wife for my son from there.
8 And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be clear from this my oath. Only you will not bring my son there again. 9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.
10 And the servant took ten camels, of the camels of his master and departed, having all good things of his master's in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. 11 And he made the camels to kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time that women go out to draw water.
12 And he said, O Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, I beseech you, cause her to meet before me this day and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 Behold, I am standing by the fountain of water. And the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. 14 And let it happen, that the maiden to whom I will say, I beseech you, let down your pitcher, that I may drink.
And she will say, Drink and I will also give your camels drink. Let it be her, the one you have appointed for your servant Isaac. And I will know that you have shown kindness to my master by this.
15 And it happened, before he was done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel the son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. 16 And the maiden was very fair to look upon, a virgin, no man had known her. And she went down to the fountain and filled her pitcher and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her and said, I beseech you, give me a little water to drink from your pitcher. 18 And she said, Drink, my lord. And she hurried and let down her pitcher upon her hand and gave him drink. 19 And when she had finished giving him drink, she said, I will also draw for your camels, until they have done drinking. 20 And she hurried and emptied her pitcher into the trough and ran again to the well to draw and drew for all his camels.
21 And the man looked steadfastly on her, keeping silent, to know whether Jehovah had made his journey prosperous or not.
22 And it happened, as the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden ring of half a shekel weight and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold, 23 and said, Whose daughter are you? Tell me, I beseech you. Is there room in your father's house for us to lodge in?
24 And she said to him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. 25 Moreover, she said to him, We both have enough straw and fodder and room to lodge in.
26 And the man bowed his head and worshiped Jehovah. 27 And he said, Praise Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his loving kindness and his truth toward my master, I being in the way, Jehovah has led me to the house of my master's brothers.
28 And the girl ran and told her mother's house according to these words. 29 And Rebekah had a brother and his name was Laban. And Laban ran out to the man, to the fountain. 30 And it happened, when he saw the ring and the bracelets upon his sister's hands and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spoke the man to me, that he came to the man. And behold, he was standing by the camels at the fountain. 31 And he said, Come in, you blessed of Jehovah. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and room for the camels.
32 And the man came into the house and he ungirded the camels. And he gave straw and fodder for the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. 33 And there was food set before him to eat. But he said, I will not eat until I have told of my errand. And he said, Speak on.
34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant. 35 And Jehovah has blessed my master greatly and he has become great. And he has given him flocks and herds and silver and gold and men-servants and maid-servants and camels and donkeys. 36 And Sarah my master's wife bore a son to my master when she was old. And to him he has he given all that he has.
37 And my master made me swear, saying, You will not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell, 38 but you will go to my father's house and to my kindred and take a wife for my son.
39 And I said to my master, Perhaps the woman will not follow me.
40 And he said to me, Jehovah, before whom I walk, will send his messenger with you and prosper your way. And you will take a wife for my son of my kindred and of my father's house. 41 Then you will be clear from my oath, when you come to my kindred. And if they do not give her to you, you will be clear from my oath.
42 And I came this day to the fountain and said, O Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, I pray, if you will, prosper the way on which I am now going, 43 behold, I am standing by the fountain of water and let it happen, that the maiden who comes out to draw, to whom I will say, I beseech you, give me a little water from your pitcher to drink, 44 and she will say to me, Both drink you and I will also draw for your camels, let her be the woman whom Jehovah has appointed for my master's son.
45 And before I was done speaking in my heart, behold, Rebekah came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. And she went down to the fountain and drew. And I said to her, Let me drink, I beseech you. 46 And she made haste and let down her pitcher from her shoulder and said, Drink and I will also give your camels drink. So I drank and she also made the camels drink.
47 And I asked her and said, Whose daughter are you? And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bore to him. And I put the ring upon her nose and the bracelets upon her hands. 48 And I bowed my head and worshiped Jehovah and blessed Jehovah, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter for his son. 49 And now if you* will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me. And if not, tell me, that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceeds from Jehovah; we cannot speak to you bad or good. 51 Behold, Rebekah is before you, take her and go and let her be your master's son's wife, as Jehovah has spoken.
52 And it happened, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself down to the earth to Jehovah. 53 And the servant brought out jewels of silver and jewels of gold and garments and gave them to Rebekah. He also gave precious things to her brother and to her mother. 54 And they ate and drank, he and the men who were with him and stayed all night. And they rose up in the morning and he said, Send me away to my master.
55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the maiden abide with us a few days, for at the least ten. After that she will go.
56 And he said to them, Do not hinder me, since Jehovah has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master. 57 And they said, We will call the maiden and inquire at her mouth. 58 And they called Rebekah and said to her, Will you go with this man?
And she said, I will go.
59 And they sent Rebekah their sister away and her nurse and Abraham's servant and his men. 60 And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, Our sister, you will be the mother of thousands of ten thousands and let your seed possess the gate of those who hate them. 61 And Rebekah arose and her maidens and they rode upon the camels and followed the man. And the servant took Rebekah and went his way.
62 And Isaac came from the way of Beer-lahai-roi, and he dwelt in the land of the South. 63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming. 64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes and when she saw Isaac, she fell from the camel. 65 And she said to the servant, What man is this who walks in the field to meet us? And the servant said, It is my master. And she took her veil and covered herself.
66 And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. 67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rebekah and she became his wife and he loved her. And Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.